The Arkansaw traveler., 1887-10-29

don't miss any chances to feather your nest. Your foresight is remarkable, and generally quite profitable"
 Nettled at the doctors temporary obtuseness, replied:
 "Dr. Brandreth, 1 have long ad- mired your ingenious methods of ad- vertising 'Brandreth's Pills but if you can't see the value to your busi- ness of my suggestion. beg to say you will surely regret it when that first Jenny Lind ticket falls into other hands,"
 The doctor was so strongly inn pressed that my idea was purely selfish one that several minutes elapsed before he began to see that, notwith- standing should be benefited by the proposed plan, it would not prevent him from reaping harvest at the same time. He then said: "I thank you for the hint, Mir. Barnum. Per haps twenty or thirty dollars ex- pended for the first ticket would not be bad investment so I will send my cashier to the auction, with in- structions to make liberal bid"
 Bidding the doctor good bye, I walked down Broadway, feeling that my plan had put two worthy and am- bilious gentlemen into frame of mind that would result in greater eclat for the Jenny Lind enterprise.
 On Saturday, September z, 1850, three thousand anxious persons en- tered Castle Garden, New York, to att tend the sale of the Jenny Lind tick cts, notwithstanding the fact that the lessees of the garden made their usual charge of twelve and one-half cents for crossing the bridge and thus secur-. ing admission to their premises. Dr. Brandreth's cashier and Genin's book keeper were in the audience, each una- ware of the presence and purpose of the other. The auctioneer mounted his stand, and calling "order," said with great impressiveness:
 "Ladies and gentlemen, l am now going to offer you the first choice of a seat with the privilege of ten seats at. the same price, for the first concert in America of the world renewed Swedish Nightingale, Mademoiselle Jenny Lind"
 A rustic of expectation throughout the vast edifice was heard for few moments, and then ensued profound silence. "What am l offered?" asked the auctioneer.
 "Twenty- five dollars !" startled the audience, nobody knowing that it was bid by Dr. Brandreth's cashier. The vast multitude held it's breath for moment, when "Fifty dollars." was heard. The audience could not with hold rousing cheer.
 "Seventy- dollars"
 ''One hundred dollars !" followed in quick succession, and after the lapse of half minute, as the auctioneer was about to knock it down, "A hundred and fifty dollars" from Genin's agent electrified the listeners.
 "Two hundred dollarsw p quickly came like clap of thunder.
 "Two hundred and twenty five dol lars '" exclaimed voice in strong and determined tone.
 The three thousand ladies and gen. tlemen present were fairly bewildered. A minute elapsed, when the auction eer, who had not had a chance to open his mouth since the bidding con- menced, said:
 "Is this the last bid, gentlemen? Bid quick or you lose it. Going, go- ing, gone. Who is the lucky pur- chaser?"
 "John N. Genin, the hatter!" cried stentorian voice. The multitude seemed thunderstruck, but in an in- stant there went Up "Three cheers for Genin, the natter '" which were dis tinctly heard on the main land and reverberated around the world.
 saw MT. Genin soon after the auc- tion was over, congratulated him on his pluck and success, and asked him out of curiosity how much he would have paid for that choice seat rather than to have missed its purchase. He replied
 .'I told my book keeper to bid as high as a thousand dollars, if necess- ary; and then, as he knew how my bank account stood, he might use his own discretion"
 Dr. Brandreth told me the next day that he limited his cashier to two hundred dollars, not dreaming that any one else would bid half that "but," he added, ''I had better have paid five thousand dollars than to have missed securing the first Jenny Lind ticket. Such splendid chance for notoriety will never again offer"
 Genin made a fortune out of it. His hats were bought by nearly every body and as he was careful to make good article, we'll worth the price paid, he secured thousands of perma- nent customers. Almost every man vie Noxu XnrE oxtro fn